Posts Tagged With: rules

It is really easy to turn the way of Christ into a series of rules about external behavior. That is not to say that the way of Christ is only internal — one does need to give attention to how one acts in this world — but there is something missing from a person’s Christianity if it entirely revolves around laws that dictate what a person does and does not do with their bodies.

We learn today that this was certainly happening in Ephesus:

They [the false teachers] will forbid marriage, and teach people to abstain from foods which God intended to be received with thanksgiving by people who believe and know the truth. (4:3)

Sometimes we do the same, especially when talking to younger Christians. We make it seem like the task of following Jesus is all about not getting drunk, not smoking weed, and not sleeping around. Then as people get older we talk about staying away from pornography, not speeding, and not missing church. Of course, I am not suggesting that any of these are wholesome or appropriate; I simply beg us to remember there is more to the way of Christ than external rules, and limiting Christianity to external rules is action akin to the false teachers of Ephesus.

Like Paul was calling the Ephesian church to (1:5-7), like he was calling Timothy to (4:12), the way of Christ is all about “faith, love, and holiness” — all of which have external manifestations but all of which start as attitudes and desires of the heart first and foremost. According to Paul today, to forget this is the beginning of false teaching.

Why don’t we need a system of laws and rules to “babysit” us anymore, as Paul said in chapter 3?

Paul gives us an unmistakable answer in today’s reading.

If you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. (5:18)

In fact, the word “spirit” is used seven times in this chapter, punctuating Paul’s point (though I wish Wright had not chosen to leave “spirit” and “holy spirit” uncapitalized in his translation).

A system of laws, a list of rules, or a handbook of standards and dictates is comfortable for a lot of people. Everything is stated and known. It is also a good tool to have when dealing with children. The problem, though, is that all of these exist outside of the person. Someone made some laws or rules and published those and now we are expected to adhere. The handbook is sitting over there on the table. We can choose to know, learn, and follow it or we cannot. While these systems of law do provide guidance, they don’t give power to meet those expectations. And expectations without empowerment usually lead to failure.

Now, with the coming of the Holy Spirit into the life of Christians, there is both guidance and power. And all of this exists within. Temptation is still with us, of course. It was right there with us when we operated by a system of dos and don’ts too. The difference is that, unlike any system of law, the Spirit is alive and personal. The Spirit wishes to “make us alive” (remember chapter 2) and empower us past the temptation and on to righteousness (5:5). That Spirit guides us and if we will choose to “live by that spirit” (5:16) we find that progressively, little by little, the Holy Spirit puts to death the “flesh” (5:17) and truly “makes us free so that we [can] enjoy freedom” (5:1).

Free people are able to make the choices that truly liberate their souls. It is not that the lifestyle our rules are trying to produce is bad. Not at all. The whole law really came down to one principle: love your neighbor (5:14), and that is as good a lifestyle as they come. True Christian love requires an emptying of self, putting other before oneself (5:13). It takes true freedom to choose to do that. Freedom from requirement, from having to love others. It isn’t love if it is done by obligation. But when we step out in faith, trusting that the best way to happiness is to serve others, counterintuitive as it is, and that faith shows itself through love (5:6), one more crucifying nail is driven into the self (5:24), and the Spirit is able to produce fruit in our lives (5:22-23).

We don’t need a babysitter when we have the spirit of the Father inside us.